5 Ways
by Lee-and-Lucy
Summary: 5 ways Lee and Lucy could have got together, and one way they actually did.
1. Chapter 1

**5 ways Lee and Lucy **_**could **_**have got together, and one way they actually did. **

**The format of this will be five ways it could have happened (throughout series 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) and how they actually get together (in my mind, anyway) in series 7.**

**I was undecided whether or not to make this a multi-chapter story but ended up deciding that it should be. I'll try and update regularly. The chapters will basically be extensions of episodes, so there will be a lot of familiar dialogue, although I will be tweaking it slightly. **

**In this chapter, I skimmed over the part where Lee/Tim confront Guy about the diamonds as I wanted to begin with Lee's speech about Lucy being an independent woman etc.**

**It took me about two hours to write this first chapter and I'm not really sure about it, or about the story idea in general. Please let me know what you think.**

**But for now, enjoy the first chapter! **

#1 – Gangster (Series 2, Episode 7)

_It could have happened like this… _

Lee and Tim had tracked Lucy and Guy to the airport with little time to spare. By the time they finally made it, Guy was holding Lucy by the arm, desperately trying to steer her towards the check-in area. That was until Lee and Tim came to stand directly in front of him, blocking the way.

Guy looked incredulous. Lucy looked confused and a little irritated.

Guy looked even more incredulous and Lucy looked even more confused and irritated when Lee and Tim explained what they thought Guy was doing. Diamond smuggling!? Lucy thought they were crazy but couldn't help feel a little relieved that her brother and flat-mate had stepped in when they had. Things were moving a little too fast for her liking, and Guy wasn't an easy person to try to slow down. At least now she'd have time to talk to Guy, they'd probably missed their plane now anyway. She breathed a sigh of relief, already running through what she'd say to her controlling man in her head.

The relief didn't last long though, as Guy got down on one knee.

At first she didn't get what was happening, thought the gaudy ring was just another extravagant gift but one glance to the side at Lee and Tim's shocked faces told her everything she needed to know. He was _proposing_!?

"Will you marry me?" Guy asked confidently. In his mind there was no doubt that Lucy would say yes.

For a split second there was silence, until Lucy became aware of the scuffle taking place beside her. It seemed Tim was trying to drag Lee away from the scene, give her a bit of privacy, but Lee wasn't having any of it. He pulled his arm free from Tim's hold.

"Hang on!" He snapped.

Lucy looked at him questioningly. He seemed genuinely distressed.

"Alright, maybe he's not a gangster, but he's still not right for you, Lucy. You're an independent woman with independent thoughts; you don't need some man making decisions for you."

She stared at him, eyebrows raised in surprise. Lee hadn't even been living with her for a year yet, but he already seemed to understand her more than any man she'd been with in the past. He acted all tough and macho around the flat but over the months he must have been paying more attention to her than he'd been letting on to sum her up so perfectly.

They stared at each other in silence, seeming to forget that Tim and Guy were there for a few seconds, and neither Lee nor Lucy knew what to say.

That was until Lee opened his mouth and the moment was over. "So tell him you'll say no!"

Tim rolled his eyes, having had enough of Lee's antics for one day, and succeeded in pulling him away.

Night falls, and Lee still doesn't move from his position on the sofa, head in his hands. He'd sent Barbara home a couple of minutes ago so when he hears someone come through the door, he isn't surprised. Barbara was always forgetting something or other and having to come back to collect it. He doesn't even raise his head when he hears the door close behind whoever just came in.

"Forget your duster? You wanna keep that as a down payment on the breakages." The quip comes out harsher than he intended it to, but he's too upset to put any of the usual humour in his voice.

"Hello." She breathes sadly.

Lee's head whips around to face the door, because that wasn't the voice he was expecting. Lucy stands there, bags scattered on the floor around her, looking like she's trying hard not to cry.

"What are you doing here? Thought you'd be in Sicily." For some reason he can't stop staring at her as she comes to sit on the sofa beside him.

"You know what those budget airlines are like. They took a wrong turning and I ended up in the corridor." Lucy replies, trying to make light of the situation but failing to hide the tremble in her voice.

When she turns to face him there are tears in her eyes and Lee feels a stab of _something _in his chest. He feels like punching the living daylights out of Guy for making Lucy so upset. He'd _never _make Lucy feel like that if he was with her. _'But you're not.' _Says a little voice at the back of his mind.

"What happened?" Lee asks softly, not wanting to pressure her into talking about.

Lucy stays silent and stares down at her hands, not trusting herself to speak in case she starts crying.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asks in an almost-whisper.

She shakes her head as tears begin to pool in her eyes again.

"Sure?" He tries one last time.

Lucy sighs, fidgeting with her hands to try and distract herself. "I said no."

Lee looks unsure, wondering if she means no to _him_ or if she said no to Guy. He sincerely hopes it's the second option.

"Sorry do you mean to me just then or-" He asks.

"To Guy." Lucy clarifies.

Lee looks at Lucy, trying to figure out what to say next. "Why?"

She turns to face him. May as well tell him the full story now instead of dragging it out.

"He was too controlling. Said he wanted to take care of me. He's gone to Sicily on his own… it's over." She starts crying then, because even though Guy was a bit of an arsehole, she'd been going out with him for quite some time.

"Don't do that." Lee instinctively reaches out to put an arm around her and even though it's a little awkward at first, Lucy soon relaxes into him. He moves his hand gently up and down her arm, wanting nothing more than for her to stop crying.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asks, still holding her against him.

She turns toward him, their faces closer than innocent flat mates should be.

"There is actually. You know how some nights you just need to be with someone, to talk to them and to hold them… Will you stay with me tonight?" She whispers.

He nods, his other hand finding its way to her waist and when instead of stopping him, her own hand comes up to cup his cheek, he says "I'll stay with you for as many nights as you'll have me."

And it's so unlike anything she's ever heard Lee say, she's not surprised when she closes her eyes and kisses him. One of his hands moves up to tangle in her hair and things soon get heated, the only sounds of the traffic outside and their frantic breaths.

"Are you sure?" Lee pants between kisses.

Lucy just nods, grabbing a hold of his shirt collar and pulling him down on top of her.

_It could have happened like that. But it didn't._


	2. Chapter 2

**The second chapter is here!**

**As usual, tell me if you liked/didn't like. The first two parts are just more detailed scenes of the episode; the third part is where I added my own bit. I know this story doesn't go into as much detail as my one-shots do but I wanted to make this similar to the structure of an actual sitcom. I'm a little rusty about what happens in this episode and how the party comes about it the first place as I haven't watched it in a while and only watched scenes I needed to get the lines but I tried my best.**

**Enjoy!**

#2 – Party (Series 3, Episode 4)

_It could have happened like this…_

It hadn't been too difficult to organise a surprise birthday party for Lucy. Just invite a few people (all happily married, of course), order in some booze and make sure Tim had minimal involvement in the entertainment. Done.

Except, of course, by the time the party was due to take place, it wasn't a surprise at all. Lee had no one to blame but himself, though. That'd teach him for trying to lie his way out of tricky situations. Lucy had found out all about the 'party' and had _conveniently _decided not to go away for her big 3-0 after all.

She walked into the kitchen, standing across from Lee who was leaning against the kitchen counter winding Barbara up. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

She picked up the scrap of paper resting on the counter in front of Barbara.

"This my guest list?" Lucy asked as she scanned the hastily written names on the paper.

"Some surprise party this is turning out to be." Lee huffed. Although he'd made it all up at the beginning, he still wanted to prove himself to Lucy and make this party a success.

"Least the chocolate fountain will still be a surpr- oops!" Barbara pressed her lips together, eyes wide, when she realised what she'd said.

However, Lucy didn't seem to care about the chocolate fountain and she frowned as she realised what all these names on the guest list had in common.

"These people are all married with kids!" Lucy sighed. "This is the exact reason I wanted to go away in the first place. I'm gonna be the only person there without a partner."

She looked genuinely hurt and Lee suddenly felt guilty for his meddling. He hated to see Lucy so upset.

"You've still got a boyfriend, he's just not coming." Lee consoled.

Lucy looked a little embarrassed, staring down at the paper in front of her. "Look, I haven't got a boyfriend alright. I never actually said that I did."

"Yes you did." Lee replied while taking a moment to question the excitement and relief rushing through his mind. _Lucy didn't have a boyfriend!?_

"No, I didn't, you said that. I just… didn't deny it." She admitted.

"That's the same thing!" Lee exclaimed. "Anyway, you won't be the only single person at this party." Lee added, looking pointedly at Lucy.

She continued scanning the guest list absentmindedly. "Yes I will."

"No you won't. I'm a single man." Lee said awkwardly.

He'd realised a long time ago that he'd have to spell things out to have a chance at getting anywhere with Lucy. Problem was he wasn't the kind of man that liked spelling things out. He was more an avoid-the-situation type of guy.

Lucy finally looked up at him, an amused glint in her eye. "Well that's not completely true." She said.

"I haven't got a girlfriend." Lee frowned, confused.

"I meant the man bit." Lucy teased, laughing. At least she seemed to have cheered up slightly.

Lee smirked back, eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to deliver his immense come-back.

Barbara cleared her throat, Lee and Lucy turning reluctantly to face her. Truth be told, they'd forgotten she was there.

It was effortless the way they seemed to get swept up in their own little bubble. Always had been.

….

Lee scanned the dimly lit pub, his eyes settling on Lucy who was sitting at his usual spot at the bar. The party was due to start in half an hour so Lee had made himself scarce from the flat, leaving the finishing touches to the others.

He kept his eyes fixed firmly on Lucy as he approached. He'd be kidding himself if he said his eyes hadn't been almost-permanently fixed on her since they'd started living together. She was gorgeous, clever, funny. Anybody else would have made a move by now, he often told himself. But he wasn't anybody else and besides, it wasn't just that he fancied Lucy, there was something _more _but at the moment Lee was too scared to examine what that something more was.

Still, it didn't stop their flirtatious back-and-forth.

"Hello saucy." He greeted as he sat down on the stool next to her.

"It's not too revealing is it?" Lucy asks, patting down the hem of her dress.

"No I mean you smell like gravy." Lee jokes.

Lucy rolls her eyes but can't stop the smile that comes soon after. As infuriating as he was sometimes, he could be quite funny.

"I wouldn't expect a man like you to recognise the faint aroma of Chanel Number 5." She retorts, trying to keep a straight face.

The straight face mission soon fails when Lee leans in and inhales dramatically. "Ah, Bisto."

"Alright, how about this for a chat up line… Are you an electrician?" Lee begins.

"Ooh perfect. Take me now, Mr. Darcy." Lucy replies, used to his 'chat up lines' by now.

"'Cause when I saw you from across the room, you gave off a certain spark that sent a current racing through my body." He finishes, adding a wink for extra effect.

"Nice." Lucy laughs. "Are you a fish monger?"

"Why?" Lee puffs out his chest, ready for the compliment that is sure to follow.

"'Cause you stink." She replies flatly, but soon breaks into a smile.

Funny how she seems to smile the most whenever she's with Lee.

"Well look on the bright side, with your Aunt Flossy and Uncle Singeon going we still won't be the smelliest couple at the party." Lee said.

"Couple?" Lucy asks hesitantly. Maybe it was just a harmless slip of the tongue? Maybe she was just overreacting picking out the word like that?

"Well, not a couple obviously. I just thought seeing as we're gonna be the only single people there we could just sort of hang out together." Lee clarifies.

Lucy sighs, looking down at the sticky table because she doesn't want to see that look of disappointment on his face when she tells him. If he'd have just s_aid _from the beginning that was the idea, she'd have been more than happy to go to the party with him. They always seemed to be dancing around each other, never daring to take that leap, which is what created most of their misunderstandings in the first place.

"Actually I'm not going on my own; I'm taking someone I know through work." She sighs.

And she just wishes more than anything that this stupid party didn't exist and that she could sit here at the bar all night swapping crap chat up lines with Lee.

Problem is, she doesn't know he's thinking the exact same thing.

…..

The party hadn't exactly been a success and both Lee and Lucy were more than relieved when the last guest had gone home and the night had eventually drawn to a close.

"Maybe we should tidy up a bit." Lucy said as she noticed Lee coming in from the kitchen, two glasses in hand.

"Oh, don't worry; Barbara's doing a couple of hours tomorrow. We'll tidy up after she's gone." Lee replied, settling down on the sofa with Lucy and handing her a glass.

"Thanks." Lucy said, after a moment of comfortable silence.

"What for?" He asks as he turns to face her.

"For pouring warm chocolate down my fake boyfriend's trousers." She smiles.

"It's not the first time and it won't be the last." Lee promises seriously.

Lucy finds herself thinking that with Lee, that statement might not be entirely a lie. You just never knew with him. It was actually one of the things she liked about him, if she was being honest with herself.

_Liked about him!? _Where had that come from, she thought to herself.

"You know all things considered this hasn't been the worst night of my entire life. I'm glad I didn't go to Venice. Here's to Tim, this surprise party was a pretty good idea." She admitted.

If it wasn't for the party, they wouldn't be sat here now, so it hadn't been a complete disaster after all.

"Actually, it wasn't Tim's idea. It was mine." Lee said quietly.

"What d'you mean?" Lucy asked, an annoyed tone creeping into her voice.

"You're gunna laugh at this. When I was on your phone I was actually trying to find out who this mysterious boyfriend was. When you caught me I panicked and made the whole thing up." Lee said in a rush.

"And why the hell do you care who I'm seeing?" She frowned.

However, the way Lee was looking at her soon made the frown disappear from her face. He looked shy, embarrassed almost. They had once again found themselves on the edge of that _something _and Lucy wondered if this time it would end like it always did; with both of them feeling awkward and disappearing off to bed. Separately.

"Just wanted to see what his intentions were, that's all. See if he was treating you right." He said defensively.

"Lee, if I was going out with the bloody Pope you'd have something to say about it!" Lucy said.

"Course I would! The age gap would be almost as bad as when you were with Guy." He retorted.

"The point is," She lowered her voice, the next part of the sentence almost a whisper, "I want to know why you never like the guys I'm seeing, or even thinking about seeing."

Lee took a deep breath. "Because… I… I mean they… the ones you pick just never treat you like you should be treated, okay?"

Once again he'd bottled out and changed his mind halfway through saying what needed to be said.

"For God's sake." Lucy whispered. She pushed her hair back from her face and stood up. "I'm going to bed." She told Lee.

Lee stood up and followed. He doesn't know why he's pushing this but he does. "Lucy, what's wrong? I can tell you're mad."

She stops just before the step that leads to the dining table. "I'm not mad, just… frustrated."

"That makes two of us." Lee sighs, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Well come here then." Lucy says, and then she's grabbing his shirt with both hands, pulling them closer together and kissing him hard.

Lee responds immediately, hands all over the place as he kisses her back with equal enthusiasm. Eventually the kiss – and their hands – slow down. Lucy's come to rest on his shoulders while one of his rest on her waist, the other pressed flat against her back, holding her to him. Both of them just stare for a moment, wondering who'll be the first to shatter the silence.

"Well, that was, erm-" Lucy begins, unsure of where to go from there.

"It wasn't unexpected." Lee says, putting a strand of her hair back in place.

"No it wasn't." She agrees.

They readjust themselves so they're standing at arm's length, still touching.

"What now though?" She says.

And because Lee can't think of a reply, he just pulls her close and kisses her again. And again.

_It could have happened like that. But it didn't._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3, guys!**

**I had so much fun writing this as Fireworks is one of my favourite episodes, especially the ending. It's more than a tiny bit cheesy at the end though, so if you don't like that sort of thing I apologise! I also realised while writing this that because of the height difference between Lee and Lucy, Lucy would have to stand on her tiptoes to kiss Lee which I think is absolutely adorable! :3 Also, I thought it would make a nice change for Lucy to be the one to say the 'L' word first. **

**P.S What did everyone think of Alcohol? And how are you all enjoying the series so far?**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

#3 – Fireworks (Series 4, Episode 5)

_It could have happened like this…_

The view from the roof was spectacular, the whole of London lit up under the autumn night sky for as far as the eye could see. In the distance the odd firework would fizzle every now and again but the proper displays, the fancy ones, were yet to start.

In was in that moment Lee realised how lucky he actually was. He lived in this amazing place, while most of the people he used to hang around with were still in council flats back up North. His friends were the best he'd ever had. He smiled as he looked over at Tim and Daisy who were currently entertaining Betty with the last sparkler. Just looking at the old woman's face lit up with joy made him glad he'd invited her. However, the thing he felt most lucky about was, of course, meeting Lucy.

Even though he wasn't with her (_yet, _he added subconsciously) he felt like the luckiest man alive to even have her as a friend, let alone live with her. She was his best friend, as he was hers and he hoped that would never change. Well, he hoped _some _aspects of their relationship would soon change.

He sighed contentedly as he poured himself a drink, too lost in his thoughts to hear Lucy come up beside him.

"Tim told me what you did." Lucy said softly.

He turns toward her, a confused look on his face. What had Tim being telling her now?

"About Betty." She clarified, coming to stand next to him at the drinks table.

"Oh." He nodded as he handed her a drink. He doesn't expand further on what happened, not quite sure how much of the story she actually knows about.

Once again, Lee's eyes stray toward Tim, Daisy and Betty. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves and for once it was because of him. He'd organised this night and even though it hadn't gone exactly as planned, everyone seemed to be having a good time.

"Sorry it's been such a let-down." Lee said, referring to his earlier attempt at a firework display.

"Well Betty doesn't seem to think so." Lucy replied, smiling as she watched the scene taking place in front of her.

"She's having the time of her life." Lucy added, turning to face Lee. She stared at him for a couple of seconds, unable to help herself before blinking herself out of a daze. "Well done."

He meets her eyes then, and she doesn't know if it's because of the glass of wine she'd had with dinner or the magical feeling of being up here on the roof in the dark, but her stomach flips. And that's the moment she knows; tonight will be the night. Tonight will be the night they stop dancing around each other.

"You did really well." Lucy said, still not looking away because to be honest, she didn't want to look away any more.

Lucy reaches up on her tiptoes, placing a hand on Lee's chest to steady herself and kisses his cheek. It's impulsive and unexpected but neither of them minds much at all. When she moves away their smiles are replaced by something else entirely.

Fireworks began to explode in the sky above them, hundreds and hundreds of them making the city sky come alive but to Lee and Lucy it was all just background noise. At that moment, with their friends distracted by what was taking place, it was just the two of them.

Lee picked his next words wisely; aware of how important they were and leaned in closer to Lucy so that she could hear him over the racket of the fireworks.

"If we're going to do this," He said, bringing his mouth to her ear so he could whisper the next part. They were so close he could hear her sharp intake of breath and he smiled to himself. "Tonight is the perfect opportunity."

His lips brush softly against the skin below her ear and when he straightens up to look at her again she's blushing, her gaze heavy with something he knows all too well because he's feeling it himself.

"Do what?" She asks, and even though he can tell she's as nervous as he is, there's a playful smile on her face and he knows exactly what she wants him to do next.

Gently, he frames her face with his hands as her arms wind eagerly around his neck. She knows what's coming and she feels like a teenager again.

He's leaning in and her eyes are just beginning to close when he says "You sure about this? Because once this happens there's no going back."

"I'm sure." She nods, looking at him intently.

He nods back and her eyes are closed again and their lips almost, _almost _touch. "I mean, only if you're one hundred percent positive, Lucy." He says.

Her eyes snap open to glare at him but he's smiling and she realises he's being teasing her the whole time and judging by the look in his eyes he's just as eager about this as she is. She tries to look annoyed but when his thumb traces lightly over her cheek she can't help but smile. Lucy winds her arms tighter around his neck and stretches up on her tiptoes.

"Lee, can you stop acting the clown now and just-"

So he does. It's slow and tentative at first, both of them getting to know the other in a whole new way but it doesn't take long before they're kissing like their lives have only been building up to this one moment. Neither of them knows how long it lasts; seconds, minutes? But when the fireworks start to slow down so do they, remembering that they aren't alone up here on the rooftop. They tear themselves apart right before the last bang, but they still can't bear to let go completely. Which is why it's a little awkward when Daisy wanders over to them.

"Well finally!" Daisy beams. "Tim and I are going to take Betty home now. Don't worry, he didn't see the two of you canoodling by the way." She winks.

"Bye Daisy." Lucy says, disentangling herself from Lee as Tim has begun to head over, albeit slowly as his arm is linked with Betty's. "Bye Tim, Betty."

Lee only nods his goodbyes, not trusting himself to speak after the events of the past five minutes.

After what seems like an eternity, the roof door closes.

"Alone at last." Lucy smiles, lacing her fingers with Lee's as they walk toward the edge of the roof and lean against the railings so they can look out over the city.

"Yep." Lee replies as he removes his hand from hers so he can wrap his arm around her shoulders. He looks at the twinkling lights of a skyscraper, wondering if she's looking at the same one.

"You're quiet. Has our kiss broken your brain?" She laughs, nudging him with her hip.

"Just enjoying the moment, gobby." He bumps back. "I don't think you realise how long I've wanted to do that."

"I don't think you realise how long _I've _wanted to do that." She replies, turning to face him as a sudden gust of wind whips her hair around her face. "You know what, Lee, we might have only been together for five minutes but I've been in love with you for a lot longer."

"I love you, Lucy." Is his only reply, because up here in the dark with her in his arms he feels braver than he ever has before.

Once again they find themselves on the brink of kissing and neither of them think they're ever going to get used to this feeling.

"Whoa, Lee." Lucy puts a hand over his mouth before their lips can touch. "Only if you're a hundred percent sure." She winks, getting him back for his earlier teasing.

She laughed when his hands that had previously been resting on her waist started to tickle.

"Stop, I'm sorry!" She spluttered, pushing at his chest but grabbing his coat and pulling him closer again in the same second.

"You know we're going to end up strangling each other within a week." Lee says, arms encircling her waist.

She nods as his lips meet hers and this time there's nothing slow and tentative about it. They make it down from the roof in a blur, leaving a trail of winter clothes leading to Lucy's bedroom door.

_It could have happened like that. But it didn't._


	4. Chapter 4

**I know this chapter has been a long time coming, I was so busy with Christmas stuff and other stuff but here it is! Instead of changing/adding to the end scene like I usually do, I wrote my own scene. So this takes place after the end of the episode 'Drunk'. **

**Hope you all enjoy it and I hope the last two episodes of NGO are geared towards the ending we all want!**

**I'm going to try and get at least another chapter written and posted before Christmas but if not, thank you to all my readers, reviewers, followers and have an amazing Christmas! **

#4 – Drunk (Series 5, Episode 6)

_It could have happened like this…_

The last 24 hours had been chaotic, and now all Lucy wanted to do was curl up on her bed and play some stupid game on her iPad until she felt tired enough to sleep. When she'd left the living area to go to bed, she'd been exhausted, convinced that the moment her head hit the pillow she'd be asleep. But of course the minute she was alone her thoughts had turned to _him _again. Funny how that kept happening on an increasingly regular basis, yet she didn't feel the need to question why she couldn't get Lee out of her head.

They'd always been complicated, right from the start. One minute they'd be acting like a married couple and the next minute she'd meet someone, he'd get jealous and they'd be back at square one. However, she hadn't been on a date for ages and the 'married couple' act was something she quite enjoyed if she was honest with herself. Lucy enjoyed bickering with Lee in a weird way and she knew he enjoyed winding her up more than he cared to admit.

Just the other day they'd been in the supermarket, quietly arguing over something stupid like which brand of cereal to buy this week, only their argument couldn't have been that quiet after all, as when Lucy was firmly steering Lee away from the Coco Pops, the old woman that was browsing next to them looked up and smiled good naturedly.

"You know, you remind me of my daughter and her husband." The old woman said to Lucy. "They quarrel like a pair of kids but you can tell they'd walk to the ends of the Earth for each other. You don't see much of that these days; real love." The woman added.

Neither of them had corrected the woman in the shop and neither of them had asked the other why not. They just went about their shopping, blushing every time their eyes met for longer than necessary. They got into another debate in the car on the way home and forgot all about their encounter as they shoved groceries into kitchen cupboards and sang along to songs on the radio.

Lucy smiled fondly at the memory as she tapped half-heartedly at the game she was playing, not really paying attention anymore.

She jumped when she heard a knock at the door, before it slowly opened and Lee poked his head into her room.

"Saw the light on under the door." He explained. "You okay?"

"I couldn't sleep so I'm Candy Crushing until I tire myself out." She smiled.

"Oh." Lee replied as he shuffled uncomfortably, unsure of what to do next. The last conversation they'd had, had ended awkwardly, with both of them joking and brushing over things as usual.

"Is your head still hurting?" He asked eventually. They had yet to look away from each other.

"Pounding." She admitted while internally cursing that stupid homemade alcohol and its terrible repercussions.

"Mine too… Hang on." Lee said, ducking back out of the door.

Not a minute later he was back, a glass of water in one hand and two Paracetamol in the other. He perched on the end of the bed as he handed Lucy the water and the pills. Their fingers overlapped as she took the glass from him but both of them pretended not to notice. She swallowed the Paracetamol and placed the glass down on her bedside table.

"Thanks." She said as she shuffled further down on the bed so that she could lean her head back on a pillow.

"You're welcome. I'll, erm, get out of your way…" He said, standing up and heading for the door.

She rolled her eyes, and even though he couldn't see her, he could tell she wasn't happy.

"Hang on, Lee." Lucy said as he stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to face her. She _definitely _wasn't happy. "I thought you said things wouldn't be awkward between us. You can't even look at me properly."

He sighed, running a hand over his face. "Look, I'm sorry, alright. I just thought with what happened last night you wouldn't want me hanging around you all the time." He explained. He'd been avoiding her to make things better, yet it seemed to have had the opposite effect.

"Don't be stupid." She said softly. "What happened last night was just as much my fault, if not more. It was me that tried to make the bloody sex tape."

After a few seconds of awkward silence they couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

"There's a sentence I never thought I'd say." Lucy giggled as she shook her head. "Can we just go back to how we were please?"

"Of course we can." Lee breathed a sigh of relief. Even though it had only been a day, he'd missed their usual dynamic.

"Get over here and help me complete this level, then." She said, patting the space next to her.

He smiled and settled himself next to her on the bed, happy that things seemed to be back to normal.

As the minutes ticked by, Lee and Lucy fell into a comfortable silence while taking it in turns to swipe at the screen. Not long after, they found themselves slumped against each other, the events of the past day finally catching up with them. Lee rested his arm across the top of the pillow her head was resting on as she instinctively leaned into him. With the warmth of Lucy's body against his own, he felt his eyes begin to droop and soon it was a challenge to keep them open.

Lucy noticed a few minutes later that Lee was too still and _much _too quiet, surprised when she found him peacefully dozing, his head resting back on the headboard. She placed the iPad down on her bedside table and turned around in his arms to face him. The last thing she wanted to do was wake him up, especially when he looked so peaceful, but she just _had _to know.

"Oi, you never answered my question." She whispered, poking his cheek lightly.

"What?" He mumbled, blinking a couple of times to get his bearings. "What question?"

Their faces were closer than anticipated and they were sharing a bed for the second night in a row, sober this time, but neither of them seemed fazed.

"What would you have done if we had actually slept together?" She asked for the second time that night.

"I already told you." He replied, playing with the ends of her hair absentmindedly.

"Yeah but you were taking the piss." She said as she stared down at her hand resting on his chest.

"Still answered the question though. Now it's your turn. What would _you _have done if we'd slept together." He asked, meeting her gaze seriously.

"I don't know." She admitted. "I'd have been disappointed, I suppose."

"Disappointed?" He repeated. "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, Lucy." He was trying to hide the hurt in his voice but failed.

However, Lucy was quick to reassure him, shaking her head before he'd even finished his sentence.

"I don't mean disappointed by you." She explained. "I mean I wouldn't have wanted it to happen like that; with us almost blacked out and not even remembering what we'd done. I always thought it'd be different… special." Lucy admitted.

Whether it was the late hour or the fact that both of them were so tired they felt like they were dreaming, the conversation wasn't tense or awkward, just honest.

"Me too." Lee agreed, before he leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to hers.

Her eyes closed as she felt his lips on hers and even after he'd pulled away, it took her a few seconds to open them again.

"Believe me, Lucy, there'll be time for special but I think we both need to sleep now." Lee said, trying to stifle a yawn.

"I agree." Lucy smiled as she went to rest her head on his chest.

"Wait a minute." Lee said, leaning down to kiss her once again.

This continued until exhaustion overcame them and they both fell into a peaceful sleep, curled around one another in Lucy's bed.

_It could have happened like that. But it didn't._


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all for your reviews and follows on this story. It honestly means the world and encourages me to carry on writing chapters, even when I'm not at my most motivated self.**

**I'd also like to point out this will not be the final chapter of 5 Ways, there will be one more after this as it is five ways they **_**could **_**have got together and one way they did. Because the S7 finale has already aired, I'll probably set the last chapter during or after the 'Lucy' episode as that was by far my favourite episode of the series. **

**Moving onto this chapter, I decided to set it in the 'Therapy' episode as Lee was **_**so close **_**to admitting his feelings. Speaking of 'so close', if Lee and Lucy sat any closer on the couch in that episode, she'd have been on his lap. ;) I feel like I wrote them a little out of character in this chapter, I don't know why, maybe it's just me being paranoid, let me know what you think.**

**I read on Wikipedia that there was an alternative ending to series 6. What I wouldn't give to see that! (Did anyone on here see it filmed or was it filmed in private?) **

**Enjoy!**

#5 – Therapy (Series 6, Episode 3)

_It could have happened like this..._

"Where've you been?" Lucy asks when she hears the door to the flat open and close behind her.

She puts the tube of super-glue down on the coffee table next to the broken phrenology head and turns to face Lee. To her relief, he doesn't look upset or angry so he must have recovered somewhat from the disastrous family therapy session earlier. Some of the guilt she'd been feeling subsides but she's still well aware that she's the one responsible for Lee finding out he was a mistake and she doesn't think she'll be able to forgive herself for that for a while.

"With my dad." Lee replies as busies himself with taking off his coat.

He's nervous already and he can feel Lucy's eyes trained on him as he fumbles with the hanger which doesn't help in the slightest. The effect she has on him is so astounding, surely she must notice, he thinks to himself absentmindedly.

"What happened?" She asks as she watches him walk over to the couch.

She doesn't want to push him too much, not after what happened this afternoon, but she'd realised over the years that when Lee wanted to talk about something serious he often needed reassurance that she was willing to listen before he actually opened up.

As she tucks her legs underneath her, settling more comfortably into the couch, Lee begins his story.

"We chatted a bit, sort of made up. He insisted on buying champagne to celebrate, realised he couldn't afford to pay for it. I called him a cheap bastard, we rowed, it turned ugly, the police were called, both thrown out." He explained.

Lucy smiled, not quite sure which parts of the story were fabricated. Knowing Lee and his dad, she wouldn't be surprised if it was all true.

"It's good to see you two back to normal." She replies.

Lucy's eyes never leave him as he seats himself beside her. There's something different about him tonight although she can't actually put her finger on what that something is. He seems more agitated that usual, in fact although his body language is laid back, when his eyes finally meets hers she realises that he looks more nervous than she's ever seen him look.

"He did give me some good advice, though." Lee tells her.

"Did he?" She asks, raising her eyebrows in surprise. What advice could Frank have possibly given Lee to make him act the way he was acting?

Then it suddenly clicked. Oh... _oh._

Lee turns his body to face her, resting an arm across the back of the couch. He can feel Lucy's knees pressed against one of his legs as their new position has left them closer than expected and as stupid as it sounds, the simple intimacy of their position encourages him to go on.

"Yeah." He begins. "About..."

"Oh, it's not the same sort of advice he gave you a few months ago, is it?" She frowns, pretending to have no idea that she knows what direction their conversation is going.

Truth be told, she's a little nervous herself now. Not that she hadn't been waiting for this for some time. However, almost seven years of their lives coming down to this one moment was enough to make anyone sweat.

"No, you'll be pleased to hear this doesn't involve buying anything online from Germany." Lee replies, trying to lighten the mood, pleased to see that it must have worked a little bit as Lucy is smiling again.

"He suggested that if I was more honest and open with... _people_..." He adds, looking pointedly at Lucy, relieved to see she seemed to know that 'people' very obviously meant 'you'. "It might stop me ending up like him."

"People?" She asks, because although she knows, she has to hear him say it.

"Alright... you." Lee admits quietly.

"Go on." She all but whispers as his eyes hesitantly meet hers.

He takes a deep breath. Now or never. If he doesn't do this now it'll probably take him another seven years to work up the courage to get to this point again.

Lucy watches him, willing him on impatiently in her mind. She's not sure she can spend another day, let alone month or year, living in this will-we-won't-we limbo. In her mind, it's time. Time to grow up and stop acting like shy teenagers. She just hopes Lee is thinking the same thing.

After what seems like minutes but was probably only a couple of seconds, Lee gathers his courage, clearing his throat.

"Lucy... I would like it if we could be more than friends. I mean, I know we act like more than friends sometimes but, I mean-" He looks down at his lap, searching for the right words. "I want to do it properly so we both know where we stand, you know... be a couple. Sometimes I feel like you want that too but lets be honest, why would you want to go out with someone like me?"

She immediately goes to interrupt him at that, but he places a hand on her leg, meeting her eyes for the first time since he started his speech.

"Let me just finish, because I want you to know what I'm really trying to say here, which is... I love you. Not in the 'she's my best friend I love her' way, more like 'she's the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with because I'm in love with her' kind of way. I am, Lucy, I'm so in love with you it's pathetic and you're probably going to throw me out now, but-"

He trails off when he notices the tears running down her cheeks.

"Oh shit, you're crying." Lee panics, unsure of his next move. He'd expected either a kiss or (much more likely) a slap. He hadn't, however, expected tears. "I'll just get my stuff and, uh..."

As he moves to get up, he's surprised when Lucy grabs his hand resting on her leg, tugging him back down.

She laughs, dabbing at the tears on her face with the back of her hand. Lee doesn't think he's ever been as confused in his life as he is right now.

"I'm crying because I'm _happy, _Lee. In fact I'm ecstatic." She smiles, lacing her fingers through his.

"You let me ramble on for ages, lay my heart on the line, not to mention I thought I'd be bloody homeless. I thought I'd traumatised you... Why didn't you say something sooner?" He shakes his head, but can't suppress the smile on his face as she bursts out laughing at his statement.

"I was in shock. It _has _taken you quite a while." She explains.

"Oh. So... so you really feel the same?" He asks, still not wanting to get his hopes up.

She nods. "I love you, Lee. I have done for a long time." Lucy admits, smiling at the way his eyes light up at her confession.

"It's okay to do this then?" He whispers as he leans in and presses his lips to hers.

Lucy nods, not bothering to pull herself away from him to reply. Instead, Lee pulls her onto him, her knees resting on either side of his hips as they continue to deepen the kiss. There would be time for talking later.

_It could have happened like that. But it didn't. _


End file.
